David Lewis (American football)

{{Short description|American football player (born 1961)}}

{{similar names|Dave Lewis (disambiguation)#American football}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = David Lewis

| number = 87

| position = Tight end

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|6|8}}

| birth_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 234

| high_school = Grant (Portland)

| college = California

| draftyear = 1984

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 20

| pastteams =

| highlights =

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 60

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 731

| statlabel3 = Touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 8

| pfr = LewiDa01

}}

David Wayne Lewis (born June 8, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL).

Early life

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Lewis played scholastically at Grant High School,{{cite web| url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiDa01.htm |title=David Lewis Stats |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=June 2, 2024}} where he was selected as a high school All-American by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.{{cite news |title=Jim Solberg selected all-American |newspaper=Corvallis (OR) Gazette-Times |date=December 23, 1978 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/corvallis-gazette-times-david-lewis-por/148565894/ |page=9 |access-date=June 2, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}} He played college football for the California Golden Bears for three seasons,{{cite web| url=https://www.nfl.com/players/david-lewis/ |title=David Lewis Stats |website=NFL.com |access-date=June 2, 2024}} and, as a junior, was honored by Gannett News Service as a first-team All-American.{{cite news |title=Elway, Walker head Gannett all-star squad |newspaper=Poughkeepsie (NY) Journal |author=Joel Buchsbaum |date=November 25, 1982 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/poughkeepsie-journal-1982-gannett-all-am/147558478/ |page=50 |access-date=May 17, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}

Professional career

Lewis was selected by the Lions as their first pick (20th overall) in the 1984 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1984 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1984/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{cite news|title=Lewis, Lions come to terms|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hG8iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J60FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1627,1431055&dq=david-lewis+football+california&hl=en|access-date=April 16, 2011|newspaper=Argus-Press|date=July 20, 1984|page=7}} The Lions cut him before the start of the 1987 season, and he was signed by the Miami Dolphins one month later as a replacement player.{{Cite web |url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/playerl/lewi02400.html |title=David Lewis Stats |website=Pro Football Archives |access-date=June 2, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730105208/http://www.profootballarchives.com/playerl/lewi02400.html |archive-date=July 30, 2017}} He was one of the last replacement players to be cut from the roster once the veteran players returned from the 1987 NFL player's strike, and was re-signed by the Dolphins in December.{{cite news|last=Collier|first=Gene|title=Sims simply didn't fit picture with Steelers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X4McAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RGMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6480,3394699&dq=david-lewis+football+cut+lions&hl=en|access-date=April 16, 2011|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=September 8, 1987|page=C1}}{{cite news|last=Holleman|first=Joey|title=Mackey says sad good-bye to his dream|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Tv4lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o_MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3239,7750324&dq=david-lewis+football+dolphins&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711233218/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Tv4lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o_MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3239,7750324&dq=david-lewis+football+dolphins&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2012|access-date=April 16, 2011|newspaper=The Miami News|date=October 27, 1987|page=2B}}{{cite news|title=Moves|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cFxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C_ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2963,201728&dq=david-lewis+football+dolphins&hl=en|access-date=April 16, 2011|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|date=November 16, 1987}}{{cite news|title=Transactions|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=831FAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SccMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3199,5369059&dq=david-lewis+football+dolphins&hl=en|access-date=April 16, 2011|newspaper=The Southeast Missourian|date=December 10, 1987|page=7B}}

References